Silo-door.



A. 0. HUBBARD.

SILO DOOR.

APPLIOATIOH FILED APR. 25, 1913.

Patented Mar. 17, 1914 2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

Il-srnusuz LnmLW AAAAAA mm D c combined'ladder rungs 'spective view,

UNITED s'ra ARTHUR o. HUBBARD, oF mI NNEAroLIs,

MIN N ESOTA.

- sine-noon. 1

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I,

Minneapolis, Hennepin county, Minnesota, have invented certain new anduseful Improvementsin SiloDoors, of which the following is aspecification. p The object of my invention is to provide and hinges forthe which the weight of the person wall of'the silo will be thrown thedoors and their bearings. 'A further object is to provide an improvedconstruction of ladderand hinge which will be more secure andsubstantial than devices silo doors by of this kind ordinarilyeniplo'yed for this purpose.

The invention consists generally-in various constructions andcombinations, all as hereinafter describedyand particularly pointed outin the claims.

In the accompanying drawings forming part of this specification, Figure1 is a front elevation of a portion of a silo, showing my inventionappliedthereto, Fig. 2 is a pershowing in detail the manner of mountingthe silo door on the wall of the silo, Fig. 3 is a vertical sectionalview, showing the supports for the doors when closed, Fig. 4 is ahorizontal sectional viewthroughthe silo door and wall of the silo,

1 each side of the door showing the door in itsclosed-position, Fig. 5is a similar view, showing-the door in its open position.

In the drawing, '2 represents the wall of the silo and 3 and 4 theupright posts on opening. The space between. these posts is dividedtransversely at" intervals by cross bars 5 having longitudinal rabbets 6and 7 on their inner faces, which are adapted to receive respectivelythe upper and lower edges of the doors 8. the

stantially with the inner when the doors are closed. For supporting eachdoor and for convenience in ascending the wall of the silo, I providefor each doora combined hinge .and

' ladder or step consisting of a single rod having 'a vertical middleportion 9 that is piv-.

. otally supported at itsupper and lower ends j by means of hinge straps10 secured to the door post 3 atone side of the opening. The

upper end of the' part 9 has an endportion,

preferably integral therewith, that is out- 1 upper edgeof the crossbent portion 11 Specification of Letters Patent. Patented Mar. 17 191-1.Application filed Apri125, 1913. Serial No. 763,537. 1

, wardly turned at 11 and provided with a ARTHUR O. HUBBARD, l a.citizen of the United States, resident of parallel substantially withthe plane of the door and spaced therefrom a'sufiicient distance to forma step or ladder rung. A part 13 forms an inwardly inclined extension ofthe part 12, terminating in a hook portion 14 thatis fitted into avertical socket 15 provided in the cross bar 16 of the door and havingan outwardly turned end. 17 which locks the part 14 securely in thecross bar. The inner portibn of the bar 16 and is supported thereby in asubstantial manner. The lower end of the part 9, after passing throughthe hinge strap 10, has'an outwardly and a horizontal continuathereofforming another rung of the ladder, and-"an inwardly extending part 13fitting within a' 'socket'in a cross bar 16 -in substantiallythesamemanner as described with respect to the cross bar "16 "The bearingsof these hinge rods are near the middle of the door, as indicated inFig. 1, and the load or weight of the person on the rungs in ascendingor descending is sustained for the most part by the cross bars and istransnutted from them through the door to the vtion 12 seat thereofbeneath the lower edge of the door.

Usually in devices of this kind the hinge rungs or steps are secured tothe door by clips or plates fastened by screws or like means and itoften happens that these screws are pulled out or broken or the platesare damaged in such a way that it is dangerous for a person to ascend ordescend the ladder, but I have found with this device that the manner ofmounting the hinge rods on the cross bars of the door is so substantialthat it is impossible for the rungs to become detached at this point andthe comparatively broad sheet metal plates or straps 10 in sure thepermanent mounting of the rods on the frame of the door. The outwardlyturned portions 11 and 11 are sufficiently long to set the horizontalrods. away from the silo and at thessame time, as indicated in Fig. 5,allow the door, when swung inwardly,- to be movedto a osition againstthe wall of the silo.-' he part 9 and the end portions thereof being.formed of one piece of wire rod, suitably bent, not onlyprovide a veryeconomical and durable construction;

sections of the but cannot be or pull out I hinge member and the tworungs of each pulled oil the door by the weight of the person climbingthe ladder, as might happen where the rungs are fastened by screws andplates or clips tothe door. In such cases the weight of the person isthrown uponthe screws or other fastening means and often thesewill.become corroded and break ofi ofthe door. By forming the door inone piece, the load is transmitted through the door to its bearings andthe rungs will always be held firmly in place under all conditions;

For holdin the door in its closed position any suita le means maybeprovided. I

prefer, however, to provide a ,plate 18 on one side .of the door, havinga pointed end 19 adapted to enter a socket 20 in the door On the other.side apivoted latchpost 4. '21 is provided, having a cam surface at oneend adapted to enter a slot 22 in the post 3', thereby drawing the doorsnugly to its seat.

The ladder rungs may be set out any suitable distance from thedoor toallow foot room in ascending or descending the silo, and the rungs may.be arran ed any suitable distance apart, prefera inches from center tocenter.

members .of' the. door opening,

1y about 711 The rods can be easily bent to the desired forthe doors,but'will provide very substantial rungs or steps for the personascending the silo. v

I claim as my invention v 1. The combination, with a silo having a dooropening and a door therefonprovided with cross bars and sockets therein,of a hinge supported on the frame of said door and having end portionswhich extendinfront of the door and spacedtherefrom to form ladderrungs, said end portions being seated on said cross bars and so portethereby and having ends fitting witliin said cross bar sockets. p

2. The combination, with a silo havin a door opening and a doortherefor. provi ed with cross bars and sockets therein, of a combinedhinge and ladder consisting of .a single rod having an upright middlepore one side tion and means supporting it at said rod havingyendportions which extend in front of the door and are spaced therefrom toform. ladder rungs, said end portions being seated on said crossbars andsupported thereby and having ends fitting within said cross bar sockets.

I have hereunto set In witness whereof, v

my hand this 19th day of ApriL1913.

' ARTHUR o l-lUBBARD.

Witnesses! GENEVIEVE E. Sonnirsnn. H

EDWARD PAUL.

